Gyroscope



H. T. L YMAN 2,982,138

May 2, 1961 GYROSCOPE Filed March 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. T. LYMAN May 2, 1961 GYROSCOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14, 1960 1 to thelron Fireman Manufacturing Company.

invention relates generally toma Vgyroscope. and

more particularly Ito a gyroscope providedwith an electric. motor forA driving the spin wheel thereof and a gravity pendulum controlled air jet system for continuously erect- 'ing the spin axisof the gyroscope towards its gravity vertical position.

More particularly it is the primary purpose of this invention to provide for such'a gyroscope a simple, reliable, economical and unexpectedlyY useful ,caging means of small sizeV to be added thereto for) the purpose of speeding and making safe the initial erection, orcagin'g, thereof. ,g It is well known in theart that gyroscopes of this general type provided with continuous erecting means but without additional .initialcaging will come up toa required wheel speedI and aftera suicient time lcorne up to` an erect position. Sucha gyroscope is completely 2,982,138 Patented May 2, 1961 2 up to speed, an outer gimbal caging cam secured on said outer gimbal concentric with the axis thereof and a cam follower lever rockably secured to the stationary frame of said -gyroscope to rock in the plane of said cam, said free end of said lever having a cam lever roller journaled thereon to roll on said cam in the plane thereof, said lever including a resilient means biasing said lever towards said cam to move said cam under said roller to move said outer gimbal ring to its caged position under said roller and said lever including a solenoid plunger hinged thereto to overcome said resilient means to lift said roller from Vshown and describedin U.S. Patent No. 2,772,570, Gyroscope, issued December 4, 1956, to A. L.`.'udson.v

However, without initial caging help, if such a gyroseope must start fromzero wheel speed with the spin axis much over forty-five degrees from vits gravityyertical position, the frictional forces resisting movementyof'the gyroscope parts about the various axes thereof will tend to cause irregular alternate movements of the spin axis about the two gimbal axes by precession and thereby result ina' more or less violent nutation of the spin axis as the spin axis works its wayto an erect position. Y., To` prevent the destruction of the gyroscope due to nuta-tion or to prevent the noise and vibration due thereto, simple manually operatedl arrangements of gimbal 'cagcam lfollowers were used but-.these systems are both large and 4expensive and their use is only justified in systemsv where'such rapid and accurate 'action is required as shown in U.S.'Patents No. 2,887,884, issued to R. Dl Hoehste'tler and I. B Thierman on May 26, 1959, and No. 2,874,577, issued yFebruary 24, 1959, to O. W. Shirley. U:S. 'Baten-t 2,772,570 and 2,874,577 and 2,887,884fas .Well .as this present invention andjthis application are all assigned line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

said Vcam to free said outer gimbal ring cam from said cam follower.

It is a third object of this inventionto provide for a gyroscope having an air erection means and velectric switch means for energizing the electric motor for spinning the wheel thereof, a caging cam on the outer gimbal ring of saidv gyroscope and a caging cam follower mov'- ably carried on a stationary support frame for said gyroscope,'together with resilient means pressing said follower on said cam to cage said outer gimbal ring and a slenoid'energized when said spin motor is energized to overcome said resilient means toV free said cam from the restraint of said cam follower.

It is'a fourth objectA of this invention to provide, fora Y gyroscope having an erection means which is continuously active when the spin motorV of said gyroscope is energized, means for cagingthe outer gimbal ring of said gyroscope when said motor `isV del-energized and means for freeing said outergimbal from said cagng means after a preset delay when said motor is energized. E

How these and other objects of thisinvention are at-l tained is explained in the following Yspecification referring to the attached drawing in which Y Fig. l`is a .top plan view conventionally showing the location of the novel parts of this invention. "1:"ig.` 2=is a `front elevation view in partial section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. k

Y Fig. 3 is a rear elevation in partial section along the line s sjof Figi. Fig. 4 is a front elevation in partial section along theY l Fig. 5 is a schematic electric circuit diagram of a simplitied form in which this invention may be practiced.

-Like reference numerals refer to like parts in the sevp eral -figures of the drawing.

The present invention is based ontheconceptiiilofthe initialcaging.

An important element of this inyention is the discovery i thatif onezgimbal ring only ofthegyroscope iscaged" and that thecaged ringisreleased shortly after the spin motor 1 together with the continuous erection means of the n cope `areV energized the gyroscope be rapidly erected without serious nutation and thereaftervwill be maintained in a,substantially'erect'positionby'me continuous erectingmeansr j i `y u w Itis a second 'object of this invention to4v provide for a s gyroscope having an erection` systemwhieli isgcontinuously elkective afterthe spin* motor of'said gyro'scpeis Referring now to the drawing in Fig. 1 is shown a somewhat schematic top plan view.,of va gyro vertical 11 in its caged or erected position. The gyrseope 11` has a vertical or spin axis S about which'thespin wheel and spin motor, not shown, are rotated inthe inner gimbal ring 12 when the spin motor is energized. l'Ihefin'ner gimbal ring 12 issupported in outer gimbal ring`13 to be free toV rotate .in either direction about innerjgimbal `ring axis P perpendicular tol-spin `S. The outer gimbal ring 13 is supportedv in stationary frame 14` to be free'to'ro'tate in either directionabout outer gimbal ring axisY R` perpendicular to inneigimbal'ring P. In the caged or erected position of lthe gyro shown the-axes S, P and R remutually perpendicular and -neet atv a point, not shown.,

While .theiparticularfforni offair erection lmeans -use- `fully applied lin the present forr'nin which this invention isdisclosed` as being'practicedis not a part of this invengtion, La" complete ,disclosure thereof will bev found'in the Judson U.S. Batent No. 2,772,570 above referred to and-need not be ,described further here. I In Fig.`1`, outerr gimbal ring 13 is seen tobesupported for free rotation about axis R on 'stationary frame 14 onbearing holes formed therein by short axle stub :15

o'n one Iside and `long axle stubl in rthe other side.

` shown in Figs. land 4,5 edge diskcam 17 is secured freedom of motionabout axis R.

four screws 1S. At its point of minimum cam radius 20' the edge of cam 17 is notched (see also Fig. 2) to receive cam lt'ollowersroller 19 carried freely rotatably on one end of its axle 21 the other end of which is `iixedto the free end of cam follower leverf22 the `otherend of which is secured to bell crank 23 by journal 24 rockably secured in bushing 25 of bushing plate 25a held by screws 26 to solenoid bracket 27 which in turn is`held by screws Z8 to support disk Z9 having its hubl 30 secured by screws 31 to frame A14. v

Noting particularly Figs. 1 and V2 it 'is emphasized that the hollow bearing bushing 25 is secured by its plate 25a, screws26, solenoid bracket 27 andits' screws 2 8 to support disk 29Vwhich in turn is secured Yby its hub 38 and screws 31 to frame 14. Also 'both bell crank 23 and cam follower lever 22 secured together on the same assenso Y.. 4 speed bringing with it the inertia wheel and the air presv sure generating fan for operating the air erection scheme of both gimbal rings 12 and 13, like that described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,570. With the air jet torquers in operation under the control of their respective pendulums and the outer gimbal ring previously caged, the inner gimbal ring is rapidly caged.

In the meantime, current from line L2 passes in parallel through line 50 to solenoid holding coil H C. and by line 51- toline vL1 and to timing heater 52 'of bimetal switch blade 53 to line 54 and through switch blade 40 and stationary contact 42 to line 51 and line L1. The

solenoid holding coil H.C. does not exert sulicient magnetic force on plunger 37 to open switch 40, 42 by itself axle 24 journalled inbushing '25 are 'always biased towards movement in the clockwise direction 'in Fig. 3 or the counterclockwise direction in Figs. 2 and 4 zby tension spring 32y strained between end 33 of' bell crank 23 and. clip 34 secured to support disk 29, to urge cam follower lever 22 to press cam follower roller 19 against the edge of cam disk 17 to rotate'disk 17 with outer gimbal ring 13 until roller 19 drops into the notch at position the caged or erected position of the outer gimbal ring 13. j

Pivoted at 35 on the free endof the other leg 36 of bell crank 23 is solenoid plungerf37 of solenoid 38 secured to stationary support disk29 by solenoid bracket 27. Solenoid 38 can be energized to withdraw 'therein its plunger 37 and rock bell Ycrankzvto overcome the bias of spring 32 to retire cam vfollower 19 from cam 17 to restore to outer gimbal ring V13 its characteristic It shouldbe noticed in FigfZ that when solenoid 38 withdraws its plunger 37 the switch Voperatingcollar Q39 ofvplunger 37 abuts and separates theV longer exible switch blade 40 of electric switch 41 from the shorter blade 42. The insulating support 43 ofvblades,.40, 42, of switch 41 is supported by screws 44 4to, clip 45 of solenoid bracket.27.

To eliminate confusion -all parts not required for a complete understanding of the invention 'by' persons experienced in the art have been omitted as have also the electric circuit wires and supporting structures there# for. However'a direct current electric circuit scheme is but after approximately 2 seconds heater 52 will cause bimetal blade 53 to Warp into contact with stationary contact S5 to energize solenoid pull-in coil P.I. which with the aid of holding coil H.C. will actuate, plunger 37 to. lift switch blade 40 from its Vcontact 42 and deenergi'ze heater 52 to allow bimetal switch blade 53 to cool and back away from contact 35 to de-energize pullin coil,'P `.I.

Y Holding coil, H.C. vbeing sufficiently strong to hold plunger 37 in its actuated position once it has been actuated with the aid of pull-in coil P.I. the Agyroscope will continue to operate as such with both gimbal rings free and air erection until the switch D S. is openedy to deenergize the motor S.M. and the holding coil H C. to

bring the spin motor sufficiently up to speed Ywith the shown in Fig. 5 it being understood by those versed'in the art that 'other wiring schemes may b e used to" accomplish essentially the same operating sequence.

Referring now toFig. 5, while remembering the previously disclosed parts and arrangements thereof, the

electric lines L1` andi L2 are 'nominal 28' v D. C. lines with L2 grounded at G. Disconnect switch D.S. 'maylbfe manually closed to energize the spin'motor S.M`. and simultaneously the vnovel cagingsystem vof `this invention and conversely switch D.S. may be opened to" return the motor and caging system toiits standby condition.2

Within'the dotted line 'I '.T.D.R. is shown the thermal ltimedelay relay as khere used. Because'it is 'available as required I now use such a relay purchased 'from GV Controls, Inc., LivingstonjNJ., their PartNopLT 2105( or equivalent. or minus15%.

It is tokbe remembered that the solenoid 38 as'here used has both a holdingcoilHCf, and/"afpullin coil, P.I.`, and that when lthe switch"D.S.Qisopenedlthe spin motor the solenoid 38, and thexthermal timefdelay relay will soon be de-energized and the ,motorwill be stopping while the solenoid releases `tsl plunger lofwca'rn follower `froller to cage the-o ut'e'rl gimbal and holdfit in readiness for caging the inner gimbalthemotoiS nextvenergizedinthecagingprocess f 5 if;

When th e switch"D .S f is closed, the Aspinmotor is immediately energized and startscorning up to its rated outer gimbal caged to sufficiently erect the inner gimbal i'ng'to allow the release of the outer gimbal ring Iand put the air erection mechanism incomplete control of both' gimballrings..

The timedelay in releasing the outer gimbal ring after energizingthe spin motor is an essential concept in this invention. L .f

With the structure as disclosed, if the switch'DS. is accidentally` opened -while the gyroscope is in normal op eration, the motor, coasting asa'generator willmaintain the holding coil H.C. sufficiently energized for about ten seconds to lmaintain the gyroscope in normaloperation. l I-Iavingrecited some ofthe objects of this invention, illustrated and described apreferred form in which the invention may be practiced and described'itsoperation,`

" 1.'In V combinatiori witha gyroscope 'having ay motor drivenl spin wheel-mounted for free rotation abot'a spiny axis Vin an inner gimbal ring mounted for free rotation" about'a'n inti'erV gimbal'ring axis in an outer gimbal The timesetting used i`s" 2 seconds [plus ringmounted for free rotation about an outer gimbal ring axisA iriffa., stationaryI frame, said gyroscope being lsaid tofbe caged'when said axes are mutually lperpendicular ata poi'ntand lsaidfgyroscope. being said to' be erected when'V caged l with said spin axis gravitationally vertical, means powered by saidl motor vwhen said motor is enerl gized continuously tourge said spin axis VVtoward its erected positionfmeans effective .when 'said motor is not energized to hold one of said gimbal rings in the position it takeswhen Isaid( gyroscope .is caged and means effective whe/n said motor` is energized rst to energize said continuously verecting means to'move the other of said gimbalgri'n'gs'j t ).1 t 1 ard` the position it takes when said gyroscope is caged andwafter a preset time delay to'frelease said-'one' of said vgimbal ringsfrom its caged-position to 5 v Y erect said gyroscope about the gravity vertical position of its spin axis.

2. In combination with a gyroscope having an electric motor for driving the spin wheel thereof and multiple pendulum controlled air jet means for continuously erect-V ing said gyroscope towards the vertical position of its spin axis, said spin wheel including an air fan secured thereto to spin therewith for supplying air under pressure to said air jet means when said motor is energized, the improvement which includes a caging earn secured to one of the two gimbal rings of said gyroscope to move freely with said ring in either direction about the axis thereof, a cam follower secured to the stationary frame of said gyroscope for movement substantially perpendicularly to the cam surface of said cani, resilient means for biasing said cam follower toward the cam surface of saidcam to press said cam with said ring angularly about the axis of said ring toward the caged position thereof, said cam including means for stopping the angular motion of said ring at its said caged position, electric means for overcoming when energized .the bias of said resilient means and lifting said cam follower from said cam, a source of electric power, a first electric circuit for energizing said electric motor, a second electric circuit for energizing said electric means, a single electric switch for simultaneously connecting both said circuits to said source and time delay means in said second circuit for delaying the sutiicient energization of said electric means after the energization of said motor in said rst crcuit until the other gimbal ring of said gyroscope is moved to near its caged position, whereby when said switch is opened said two circuits will be de-energized and said biasing means wll move said cam follower to cage said one gimbal ring and secure said ring in its caged position until said switch is again closed and said other gimbal ring is again substantially caged to its caged position.

3. In combination with a gyroscope having a stationary frame, an outer gimbal ring carried on said frame for rotation in either direction on an outer ring axis, an inner gimbal ring carried on said outer gimbal ring on an inner ring axis perpendicular 'to said outer ring axis, -a spin wheel carried on said inner girnbal ring on a spin axis perpendicular to said inner ring axis, said axes intercepting at a point, an electric motor for driving said spin wheel and a gravity controlled vertical erection means -for said gyroscope which is vcontinuously active when said motor is energized, the -addition of means for caging only one of the gimbal rings of said gyroscope in response to the deenergization of said motor and means for freeing said outer gimbal ring from said caging means a pre-set time after said motor is energized.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which said one of said girnbal rings is said outer gimbal ring, said caging means includes a caging cam on the outer gimbal ring of said gyroscope and a caging cam follower swingably carried on the stationary frame of said gyroscope in the plane of said cam together with resilient means presibsing said follower on the face of said cam to cage said outer gimbal ring and said means for freeing said outer gimbal means from said caging means includes a solenoid circuit energized when said spin motor is energized to overcome said resilient means to free said cam from the restraint of said cam follower.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,441,307 Alkan May l1, 1948 2,521,379 Leathers etal Sept. 5, 1950 2,741,922 Nolan et al. Apr. 17, 1956 2,772,570 Judson Dec. 4, 1956 2,874,577 Shirley Feb. 24, 1959 2,907,212 Garnier Oct. 6, 1959 

